Bagman — Welcome to My Fucking Misery
Welcome to My Fucking Misery offers up four grim tracks that can best be described as a fetid stew of blackened electronics, inhuman vocals, extended samples, high to low end feedback, and near wallish passages. The album’s opening salvo entitled “In Bonds,” begins with a sample of S&M porn then crawls into buzzing, choppy static layered with some thicker tones. The chilling vocals that accompany the bleak sound are manipulated beyond recognition and sound more akin to nails scraping metal than a human voice. “Power Thrust,” makes use of a sample that runs through the course of the near 7 minute track. Wavering noise, teeters on the verge of collapse, before degrading into a near repetitive pattern. Hissier elements and some junk metal abuse also make their presence known. The extended sample of a man freely speaking is combined with the noise just enough that I’m unable to make out the content of what’s being said, however I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a confessional of some unspeakable acts committed (I read that the person behind Bagman has a predilection for serial killers).
The penultimate piece “Diminishing Returns” starts with a wallish intro of crumbling noise before succumbing to some nasty feedback and indecipherable vocals that sound like they’re being channeled through a heavily reverbed walkie talkie. The album’s parting track is “Predator,” which blends stuttering synth, bending feedback and monstrously garbled vocals.
All in all this is some really bleak listening. If you’re into really scummy power electronics stuff like Bizarre Uproar, Grunt, and Caligula 031, then Welcome to My Fucking Misery would also make a good addition to your collection. For those looking to explore the darkest crevices of the human psyche.